Irfan Pathan, the former cricketer for India, responded to the non-selection of Sanju Samson for the 3-match ODI series versus Australia on Monday, September 18. Sanju Samson was a travelling reserve with the Indian team that recently won the Asia Cup 2023. The Indian Cricket Board announced India’s team for the three-game series against Australia last night.
Pathan hinted that the batter-wicketkeeper would have been sad to be left off the team. On X, formerly known as Twitter, he wrote with the caption, “If I’m in place of @IamSanjuSamson right now, I will be very disappointed…”
Unexpectedly, Tilak Varma as well as Ruturaj Gaikwad were picked over the batter from Kerala. During the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match against Bangladesh, Varma, who just made his ODI debut, left the pitch after scoring just five runs. Gaikwad will captain India’s backup team to compete in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, later this month.
Suryakumar Yadav given preferrence over Sanju Samson
In addition, Samson’s replacement for the World Cup, Suryakumar Yadav, kept his spot in the Indian team for the ODI series versus Australia. That happened after India failed by six runs to Bangladesh despite the right-handed batsman scoring 26 runs off 34 balls.
The Mumbai batsman now has two half-centuries and a total of 538 runs at an average of 24.41 in 27 ODIs. A lot of pressure is on Suryakumar to deliver with the vacancy of Rohit Sharma as well as Virat Kohli, who are not part of the side for the first two ODIs.
Samson, on the other hand, has scored 390 runs at a 55.71 average in 13 ODIs, including three half-centuries thus far. The wicketkeeper-batter’s most recent ODI match versus the West Indies saw him score 51 off 41. To fill in for the injured Axar Patel for the upcoming series, the national team selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar chose all-rounder Washington Sundar along with star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Fans react as Irfan Pathan comments on Sanju Samson’s snub from Indian team: –
If I’m in place of @IamSanjuSamson right now I will be very disappointed…
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 18, 2023
BCCI Ko Kuch Na Kuch Problem Hai Sanju Samson Se For Sure.
— Aufridi Chumtya (@ShuhidAufridi) September 18, 2023
Ap abhi b jis place per ho na hum us se bhi disappointed hain ?
— Mirza Hassan ???? (@mirzasays_) September 18, 2023
Bhai kyu Lena h isko pehle match me hi hag deta h
— SAGAR ????? (@Pitamsingh3) September 18, 2023
Sanju deserves to be in the team asap. He is too massive a talent to be not having a place in the Indian squad. Time to back such a massive talent.
— Chatur (Not an Idiot) (@mpbsvs) September 18, 2023
He was not in the scheme of things
— Ansh Shah (@asmemesss) September 18, 2023
True he deserves to be in the team
— Tarique Hasan || Tofi (@tariquespeaks) September 18, 2023
This is really disappointing…Irfan bhai being influential you should raise this issue ..he deserves to be in the team
— Ankit Khanna (@ankit_khanna) September 18, 2023
At least he should have been in the Asian Games team. Yaa, definitely feeling bad for him.
— Vishal. (@SPORTYVISHAL) September 18, 2023
Even when Rohit, Virat, Hardik are not part of the squad, there is no damn place for Sanju?
— msd_stan (@bdrijalab) September 18, 2023
feeling bad ?
— ASUR (@Mai_ASUR) September 18, 2023
